<p>I will get a new computer for college and I was wondering which one to go with,
Which is better for college and the work at UCI?
I already have a PC so I know how to use it, but I a familiar with Macs also</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>From what I’ve been hearing nothing is really preferred outside of the computer majors. I’d go with whichever you like more.</p>
<p>Doesn’t matter. PCs are cheaper so i’d probably go with that.</p>
<p>Yeah, go with whatever you like and can afford. If you’re really curious/undecided, search the thread for previous Mac vs. PC threads.</p>
<p>I would suggest getting a PC if you’re an engineering major that requires use of certain programs. I had a MAC but I sold it because it was too difficult to use my programs with it.</p>
<p>thanks. i’m really not interested in spending 1000+ for a mac so i think i’ll stick with a pc for now! (:</p>
<p>^^^ +1 for sanity</p>
<p>You should go Mac, I’ve had so many of my friends have PC problems around midterms and finals. It’s just not worth the hassle. Also you get the benefit of having no Cisco Nac Agent! In the long run that $1000+ is going to be worth it.</p>
<p>^^^ Is a Windows user, don’t join the cult >.> I have to say though, the internet provider they use at UCI at the dorms is annoying as hell, and going through Linux or Mac helps out a lot. Linux is something I would recommend actually if you’re somewhat experienced with it, since it has most everything you need (and if you’re not going to be gaming on your laptop or anything of the sort). But yes, that Cisco NAC thing is a one-time thing when you first try to connect to the internet.</p>
<p>-_-. PCs aren’t the only ones with problems. There’s people complaining about their Macs too.
There’s going to be a difference between laptops in general that cost $500 compared to $1,000, so maybe the people with problems were the ones who bought cheap ones to begin with.</p>
<p>It’s like, this Cisco NAC agent thing they make you install if you want to use the internet in the dorms that’s annoying. Basically, you have to login through that, and it has a bunch of other requirements, too, like using specific antivirus software, setting your computer’s update settings to a specific setting, and some other stuff before your internet even starts to work. I guess you can get all that done on your first day, but still, there are times it starts to glitch and your internet cuts off at which point nothing makes sense much. If you do bring a wireless router, too, there’s some weird stuff going on there (highly recommended to bring wireless routers, nonetheless), but yeah, though the problems after the first day are rare, it’s still a ***** when it happens. Using Linux or Mac, you just log in using the browser itself and boom, connected, no need for external software or any of that, but yeah, it’s not big enough a concern to change whether to get Windows, Mac, or Linux…</p>
<p>Once again, just for maximum compatibility, Windows is the way to go.</p>
<p>Because of specialized software, I’d recommend a Mac for the Arts and Windows for engineering, computer science, etc. Think about a netbook if you won’t be using specialized software (or writing it) and aren’t into data crunching, gaming or streaming video.</p>
<p>Agree about the wireless router – but check with your roommate. You don’t need two.</p>